New AFN chief 'absolutely' supports Ontario chiefs in push for carbon price review
The incoming leader of the Assembly of First Nations says she'll back demands by chiefs in Ontario for a judicial review of Canada's carbon price.
Cindy Woodhouse, a former regional chief from Manitoba, was elected Thursday as the assembly's national chief — leader of the largest First Nations advocacy organization in the country, representing more than 600 communities.
The Chiefs of Ontario, which represents 133 First Nations, asked the Federal Court to undertake a judicial review of the federal government's carbon pricing system.
- Download our app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
Shortly after taking the oath of office, Woodhouse told a news conference in Ottawa that she's "absolutely" willing to support the application, and wants the AFN to take a closer look of its own at the carbon regime.
"From what I'm hearing, it's going to hurt our people," she said. "We should have a proper legal strategy on that, as well as a political lens on it."
The Ontario chiefs say the carbon price is discriminatory, in part because its rebate mechanism is tied to the federal income tax system, which many who live and work on reserves do not use.
chiefs launched their application after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau imposed a three-year carbon exemption on home heating oil, a dominant fuel in Atlantic Canada.
It asks the court to order the government to sit with the chiefs to negotiate a solution that would help "alleviate the climate crisis" without worsening the "human rights crisis" many First Nations are forced to endure.
Alternatively, the group wants the court to issue an interim exemption and order the government to develop a solution with First Nations.
"As Canada knows, this regime is grossly unjust to First Nations and their members," the document said.
The judicial review application has not been tested in court.
Trudeau has already said his government is not prepared to offer any more exemptions. Asked directly about the legal action, he's only said the government would keep working with First Nations on reconciliation and affordability.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, meanwhile, has been using the dispute as part of his months-long push for Trudeau to get rid of the consumer carbon price altogether.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 7, 2023.
— With files from Jordan Omstead in Toronto
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6976926.1721883767!/httpImage/image.png_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.png)
DEVELOPING Alberta's request for federal assistance approved after fast-moving wildfire hit Jasper National Park: Trudeau
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on social media that Ottawa has approved Alberta's request for federal assistance after a fast-moving wildfire hit Jasper National Park and its townsite late Wednesday.
Jasper mayor says alert system to be reviewed after message 'glitch'
More than 25,000 people have been displaced from Jasper National Park since wildfires started to threaten the picturesque corner of Alberta Rockies on Monday, but the mayor of its namesake municipality says not everyone received an evacuation alert when it was sent out.
Canada's premiers forced to confront escalating climate change-related disasters
Many of Canada's provincial and territorial leaders remained consumed by climate change-related natural disasters that have only escalated since they met for meetings in Halifax last week.
Biden explains why he ended re-election bid in Oval Office address
U.S. President Joe Biden on Wednesday delivered a solemn call to voters to defend the country's democracy as he laid out in an Oval Office address his decision to drop his bid for reelection and throw his support behind Vice President Kamala Harris.
Unclaimed bodies are piling up in Newfoundland. A funeral director blames the government
A funeral director in St. John's says the bodies piling up in freezers at Newfoundland and Labrador's largest hospital likely belong to people whose loved ones couldn't get enough government help to pay for a funeral.
U.K. police officer suspended after video appears to show a man being kicked in head
A British police officer was suspended from all duties Thursday after a video was posted on social media that appeared to show an officer kicking and stamping on the head of a man lying on the floor of a terminal at Manchester Airport.
Norad intercepts Russian and Chinese bombers operating together near Alaska in apparent first
The North American Aerospace Defence Command (Norad) intercepted two Russian and two Chinese bombers flying near Alaska Wednesday in what appears to be the first time the two countries have been intercepted while operating together.
Barrie-Innisfil MPP 'blacked-out' and crashed car into window of child care centre
Staff at a Barrie child care centre say they are frustrated by what they call a local MPP's inadequate response after a car crashed through a window in one of the toddler rooms.
Monday breaks the record for the hottest day ever on Earth
Driven by oceans that won't cool down, an unseasonably warm Antarctica and worsening climate change, Earth's record hot streak dialed up this week, making Monday the hottest day humans have measured.